New South Wales Origin legend Tommy Raudonikis has unleashed on Jarryd Hayne accusing the cross-sport star of ‘conning’ rugby league.
Appearing on The Footy Show on Thursday night, the Blues great eviscerated Hayne for his role in the sacking of Gold Coast Titans coach Neil Henry.
‘He conned the NRL and the Titans to pay him $1.2 million a year. He hadn’t played rugby league for two years. They’re crazy, they must just want to lose money,’ Raudonikis said.
New South Wales Origin legend Tommy Raudonikis has unleashed on Jarryd Hayne accusing the cross-sport star of ‘conning’ rugby league
‘He conned the NRL and the Titans to pay him $1.2 million a year. He hadn’t played rugby league for two years. They’re crazy, they must just want to lose money,’ Raudonikis said
Hayne, 29, returned to the NRL last year after two years out of the game playing for the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL and attempting to break into the Fijian Rugby Sevens team to compete in the Olympics.
The star fullback has had his commitment and desire questioned several times throughout his career, and his training habits were reportedly the catalyst for the increasingly ‘toxic’ relationship with Henry.
Raudonikis alluded to this during his epic rant on Thursday, saying he didn’t believe Hayne had applied himself this season.
‘The one thing I hate in sports is blokes not having a go, and to me he didn’t have a go this year,’ he said.
‘He went to America to have a go at Gridiron. He didn’t get a contract. He failed, and on his way back to Australia he wanted to have a go playing rugby union, to get in the sevens side. He couldn’t get a run.’
‘The one thing I hate in sports is blokes not having a go, and to me he didn’t have a go this year,’ Raudonikis said.
‘He chose to go and play for Fiji instead of playing in America? That’s a load of rubbish’
Footy Show co-host Beau Ryan challenged Raudonikis’ strong stance, saying Hayne was not a failure.
‘He played six NFL games, how did he fail?’ Ryan asked.
‘He had the opportunity to get a contract but chose to go to rugby.’
Raudonikis quickly fired back, saying the idea of Hayne choosing Rugby Sevens over the NFL as ‘rubbish’.
‘He chose to go and play for Fiji instead of playing in America? That’s a load of rubbish.’
Mal Meninga said he would like to see Hayne made captain, saying his former side, the Parramatta Eels, got the most out of him when he was their captain before he departed for the NFL. Raudonikis strongly rejected the idea
Australia coach Mal Meninga said earlier this week he would like to see Hayne made captain, saying his former side, the Parramatta Eels, got the most out of him when he was their captain before he departed for the NFL. Raudonikis strongly rejected the idea.
‘To be a captain you have to have people looking up to you. You must set an example,’ he said.
‘I would not be in a trench alongside him.’